An optical component such as a lens or a window material is used for an optical device utilizing light of a prescribed wavelength. When light (visible light) of the visible region is utilized as the light, glass is mainly applied as the material for the optical component. In the case of glass, the optical component is manufactured by heating glass to a temperature softening and plasticity-deforming the glass and thereafter pressure-deforming the glass to a prescribed shape with a prescribed mold. For example, each of Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-270724) and Patent Document 2 (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 8-208243) proposes such a method of preparing an optical component from glass.
In a case of utilizing light (infrared light) in the infrared region or light (ultraviolet light) in the ultraviolet region in place of the visible light, on the other hand, ceramics is applied as the material for the optical component. In the case of ceramics, sintering of ceramics is utilized, whereby it follows that a ceramics sintered body (molded product) is manufactured as the optical component by starting pressurization from a prescribed temperature for heating the ceramics and starting sintering the same and densifying the ceramics. For example, each of Patent Document 3 (Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. 41-412) and Patent Document 4 (Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-43359) proposes such a method of manufacturing an optical component from ceramics.    Patent Document 1: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 2001-270724    Patent Document 2: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 8-208243    Patent Document 3: Japanese Patent Publication Gazette No. 41-412    Patent Document 4: Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 5-43359